Archive for the 'Yuck' Tag Under 'Soundcheck' Category

The whole point of being out here for two seemingly identical weekends is to discover what, if anything, might be different. But so far those slight changes have had less to do with the music, which has been the same or in some cases (Yuck, Gary Clark Jr.) better than last weekend, than it has the atmosphere (my brain is melting from the heat) and the crowd, who are clearly coming later or hiding in the shade.

No one I've seen so far -- save for Clark, who soared and shredded in Mojave to a far more enthusiastic reaction than he did last weekend -- has garnered half the audience they attracted with ease before. Yuck sounded stronger, their flanged, ear-bending distortion close to hypnotic under such wilting conditions. EMA didn't let the hot temps get the best of her, conjuring fiery anguish out of scorched murk. Yet neither act enjoyed much of a turnout that wasn't either belly-up on the grass from sweat-caked exhaustion or simply seeking sweltering shade.

Ditto James (the English band) and Jimmy Cliff's second appearance here with Rancid's Tim Armstrong and his assorted players. Both acts have given their all in the punishing heat -- the former filed a set that was deliberately different, with seemingly half the selections swapped for others. Cliff, too, is mixing it up a little: his same take on "I Can See Clearly Now" just started, nice and warm, but he tossed in the Clash's "Guns of Brixton" this time.

Only problem is that there just aren't many people here to reciprocate and send their energy back in spades, so they can feed off it and achieve something even grander.

Which already has me wondering if there's a lot less to be excited about this weekend after all. Without an engaged crowd here to help take this one higher, I gotta ask: Just how much déjÃ vu can we endure before ennui sets in?

April 13th, 2012, 4:17 pm by KEVIN FLINN, FOR THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

London quartet Yuck took to the outdoor stage this afternoon completely unfazed by blowing winds, amplifier malfunctions, and flying rolls of porta-potty toilet paper (shown above). The young band's frequent comparisons to its '90s forbears were apt, as it chugged through fuzzed-out Dinosaur Jr.-style rockers and blended songs together with Sonic Youth feedback swells.

Casually indifferent to the elements, guitarist/vocalist Daniel Blumberg crooned Malkmus-ly during "The Wall" and guitarist Max Bloom's sharp, overdriven leads graced the singalong "Get Away." More blissful droning feedback closed the 45-minute set and Bloom offered a quiet, heartfelt "Thanks" before Yuck retreated into shelter from the storm. One wonders if the small-yet-faithful crowd would've been bigger if the band had played in one of the tents, where the roofs drew others seeking respite from the light sprinkle and mild chill.

Still haven't figured out how to score tickets to either sold-out weekend of Coachella next month? Depending on who it is you most want to see in Indio, there might be better ways of spending your cash now that organizer Goldenvoice had added nearly three dozen related shows before, between and after the two festivals.

We're not talking about last-rung no-names, by the way -- several top tier acts have added small-venue gigs, including Bon Iver, Pulp, M83, the Refused reunion and the resurfacing of Neutral Milk Hotel's Jeff Mangum.

Justin Vernon (center) and his touring Bon Iver ensemble, who already added an April 22 show at Santa Barbara Bowl, also will play the Monday after the first fest, April 16, at the Fox Theater in Pomona, with All Tiny Creatures opening, $37.50, on sale Friday, March 9, at 10 a.m.

Three days later, on April 19, Jarvis Cocker (left) and the rest of Pulp will play a full-length set at the Fox, $50-$60, on sale March 30 at 10 a.m. Meanwhile, M83 will headline that revived venue two nights before the first Coachella weekend, on April 12, $25, with Big Black Delta opening, on sale Friday at 10 a.m.

Refused, the Swedish hardcore punk band back together for the first time since the late '90s, also plays April 12 in Pomona, but at the Glass House, around the corner from the Fox. The on-sale date for that show, with Death Grips opening, has yet to be announced. Nor is there a date and time to buy tickets for Mangum's April 23 performance at the Orpheum Theatre in downtown L.A. Stay tuned.